Benzene 2

http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/benzene060303.cfm


Soft Drinks Found to Contain High Levels of Cancer-Causing Benzene
March 2, 2006
by the Times / UK
Soft Drinks Found to Have High Levels of Cancer Chemical
by Rajeev Syal
Traces of a carcinogenic chemical have been found in soft drinks at eight
times the level permitted in drinking water, it was revealed last night.
Tests conducted on 230 drinks on sale in Britain and France have identified
high levels of benzene, a compound known to cause cancer, according to the
Food Standards Agency. There is a legal limit of one part per billion of
benzene in British drinking water. The latest tests revealed levels of up to
eight parts per billion in some soft drinks.
Benzene has been linked to leukaemia and other cancers of the blood. Traces
found in Perrier water 15 years ago led to the withdrawal of more than 160
million bottles worldwide. The disclosure has prompted food safety
campaigners to demand that the Government reveal which products contain
benzene. At present, the drinks¹ identities have not been revealed.